This week we’ve got a selection modern but historic timepieces, each boasting some serious horological roots. They range from sport watches to dress watches, some are a bit of both. Most of all, they’re great everyday watches with enough character to not get boring. With options from Zenith, JLC, and VC this week’s edition of The Cultivated Wrist hits the old school classics that will pair well with your vintage cafe racer. Or any other, less cool means of conveyance you currently employ.
Moser & Cie Endeavour 343.505-018
This is independent watchmaking at damn near its finest. Moser watches are understated, flying under the radar with ease, unless you’re around those in the know, who will undoubtedly be impressed by your horological taste. The finishing on the hand wound movement is truly a sight to behold, and while you may not know it to look at it, the hairspring you see back there is made by Moser as well. A truly impressive feat for a brand of any size, let alone a small indy brand. The brown dial version adds a touch of flair to an otherwise conservative watch. This example has a low Ask listed at $22,000.
Zenith El Primero 03.2150.400/69.M2150
The Zenith El Primero is famous for having been one of the first three automatic chronograph watches introduced in 1969. The Zenith stood out thanks to its large, overlapping sub-dials, each of which were a slightly different color. It’s a look the brand has re-created in some modern incarnations of the watch, such as this example, which clocks in at a reasonable 38mm in diameter. There’s a low Ask of $6,800 listed right now.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic Q8018420
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic was first introduced in the late 50’s in limited quantities. In 2014, JLC thought it wise to bring them back in a more permanent form, and seeing the results, we’re glad they did. This example features a true-beat (or dead seconds) hand, meaning it’ll tick from one second to the next just like a quartz watch. For a mechanical watch, this is quite the engineering feat. This Geophysic is also the most accessible, with a current Ask listed at $6,900.
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 49150/B01A-9097
The Vacheron Constantin Overseas was born in the 70’s along with the Royal Oak, the Nautilus, and the Ingenieur. It was a great time for steel sports watches, to be sure. The modern Overseas remains true to the character set forth over 40 years ago, and the design is as strong as ever. It’s a great way to set yourself apart from more popular models from the likes of Patek and AP. There’s a current low Ask listed at $11,500 on this example.
Finally, the last steel pepsi-bezel GMT offered by Rolex, the 16710. This is the direct descendant of such greats as the 6542 and 1675. You may have noticed that there is currently a pepsi-bezel (or BLRO, which stands for Blue/Rouge) in the Rolex line up, however it can only be had in white gold, and trades hands for north of $30,000. This steel model may not be ask slick as that one, but you can get your hands on this example for the current Ask, which is listed at $7,300.
